Krusbert on 8/6/2009 at 01:35
Hi all!
I am a student at Playground Squad, Sweden. ( (
www.playgroundsquad.com) ). It is a school that specializes in game development. I have formed a group to make a shorter game(demo), in which I'm the project leader/designer/programmer. As for the engine, we are going to use 3impact, a middleware with all the features you need to make a game: (
www.3impact.com).
Since I love the System Shock franchise, I plan to incorporate some of the prominant features such as dark environments, hybrid-like enemies, cyborgs, lack of ammo, active security systems in the environments, high difficulty, great emphasis on sound etc. Some other heavy inspiration for this game has come from the movie Aliens, Alien vs Predator ( primarily the first game ) and Bioshock.
However, this game will be a multiplayer cooperative FPS game. Set in current time, the players are four mercenaries, hired by Alan D. Rothenberg, oil billionaire, to investigate an old antarctic research base discovered during oil drilling in the arctic regions. Their objectives are to search the base for any unusual inventions to bring back to Rothenberg for great rewards.
This research base was founded in the 1920s as a collaborate effort between the most powerful nations at that time. Many inhumane and illegal experiments have been conducted during the years. After the outbreak of World War II the base was abandoned. As the years passed, the scientists and their families were left for dead.
The station has pretty much been isolated since World War II and the scientists have continued to conduct unsupervised research independently from the rest of the world. The doors have remained unopened for more than 60 years when the mercenaries arrive.
Basic features planned:
* Playable on LAN for up to four players
* Two available weapons( shotgun, assault rifle ) + backup pistol
* Two different enemies and one boss character
* One level consisting of medical and research facilities.
Thought you guys might be interested in this :) I would love to hear your ideas and suggestions, or maybe you would even like to contribute somehow!
Here are some early pictures and concept art of work in progress:
Inline Image:
http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/7858/fredrikskiss.jpgInline Image:
http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/1907/bed6.jpgInline Image:
http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/4651/bed5.jpgInline Image:
http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/6317/enemyconceptlitemerkara.jpgcatbarf on 8/6/2009 at 02:20
Sounds very interesting! Now, sorry for the nitpicking, but I think there's something questionable about a lab being self-sufficient for 60 years in a setting as hostile as the antarctic.
JediKorenchkin on 8/6/2009 at 04:44
Quote Posted by catbarf
I think there's something questionable about a lab being self-sufficient for 60 years in a setting as hostile as the antarctic.
Especially since said lab was formed in the 1920's.
Muzman on 8/6/2009 at 05:37
Surely some sci-fi handwave can come to the rescue there.
Volitions Advocate on 8/6/2009 at 06:35
eh.. why not?
Muzman on 8/6/2009 at 08:19
Also, I don't want to dump on the nice school project (pics look great!) but this sounds identical to the original concept for Bioshock, more than just inspired by it.
I guess that's not terribly important really. Good luck with it.
Krusbert on 8/6/2009 at 10:33
Quote Posted by Muzman
Also, I don't want to dump on the nice school project (pics look great!) but this sounds identical to the original concept for Bioshock, more than just inspired by it.
I guess that's not terribly important really. Good luck with it.
Okay, do you mean just plot wise? I thought there weren't many similarities, other than that it is a research base which has been isolated for a long time, with independent research from the rest of the world. Please indulge me, I might be blind to my own plagiaritism ;) We also have no Andrew Ryan - or any kind of supervisor. Think of it like more similar to the Dharma Initiative of LOST. This is no private enterprise, it is a government alliance, a place filled with the most brilliant minds available at that time.
Regarding the self-sufficient issue - This can easily be explained by some kind of scientific breakthroughs in said facility, such as a revolutionary energy source of some kind. But I do agree that it is a bit far fetched, especially if they lost contact at World War II. I just felt that the war would be a great historical moment to break the alliance between these nations, due to policital reasons and whatnot :)
Maybe I should try revising the plot a bit. One of my other earlier ideas was that during the cold war a group of international scientists wrongly predict an inevitable nuclear war, and they set up said base to both protect a chosen elite from the coming war, as well as conduct research for the betterment of mankind.
At some point in time, everyone loses contact with the base. Teams sent to investigate doesn't return. The experiment is deemed a failure and is abandoned. This approach would make the self-sufficient thing a bit more believable, and we can still get some retro feel in the surroundings in the form of relics from the 50's. Although one of my favorite parts of the "multi nation idea", was that we could combine for example chinese architecture with russian, european and so on. Could result in some cool level design.
Anyways, thanks for the input everyone :)
Muzman on 8/6/2009 at 11:00
Off the top of my head; Bioshock was originally set in a lost Nazi research facility that had been left to its own devices for some time (dunno if it was quite 60yrs). At first I think it was even in the Arctic or Antarctica as well, then it was changed to be under the sea (and then, of course, turned into an Art Deco riff on Atlas Shrugged). You played the head of some exploration team who crack it open for the first time (no 4 player co-op that I can recall, though)
It's not quite the same but your description reminded me of it at once.
I wouldn't worry about it though. Being similar to a game idea that didn't get made is a step above most mods and start-up projects.
blaydes99 on 8/6/2009 at 14:46
I like the premise of "mercenaries hired by billionaire", since it lends the player a feel of discovery and exploration (and fun finding all the invetions/treasure to bring back :) ) vs. a "member of an elite military unit" who's job is to "get in and get out" as quickly as possible.
Looking forward to more progress!
JediKorenchkin on 8/6/2009 at 20:09
Quote Posted by Krusbert
One of my other earlier ideas was that during the cold war a group of international scientists wrongly predict an inevitable nuclear war, and they set up said base to both protect a chosen elite from the coming war, as well as conduct research for the betterment of mankind.
I think that makes more sense / is a cooler idea than having it set up in the 1920's.
